Aisne
Details
Information
Number	02
Region	Picardie
Prefecture	Laon
Subprefectures	Château-Thierry Vervins Saint-Quentin Soissons
Population  - Total (1999)  - Density	Ranked 46th 535,489 73 /km²
Area	7,369 km²
Arrondissements	5
Cantons	42
Communes	816
President of the general council
Location

Aisne is a département in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.

History

Aisne was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île de France, Picardy, and Champagne.

Most of the old-growth forests in the area were destroyed during battles in World War I. The German offensive against the Chemin des Dames in 1918 is sometimes referred to as the Battle of the Aisne.

Geography

Aisne borders the Ardennes Forest and Belgium to the northeast. The Aisne River crosses the area from east to west, where it joins the Oise River. The landscape is dominated by masses of rock which often have steep flanks. These rocks appear all over the region, but the most impressive examples are at Laon and the Chemin des Dames ridge.

The principal cities in Aisne are

• Laon, pop. 26,000 (capital)
• Saint-Quentin, pop. 60,000
• Soissons, pop. 30,000
• Château-Thierry
• Tergnier , pop. 15,000

See also: List of the communes of the Aisne département.

Climate

There is an average of 500 to 750 mm precipitation annually.

Economy

Agriculture dominates the economy, especially cereal crops. Beet sugar is one of the most important industrial crops of the area. Silk, cotton, and wool weaving flourish in Saint-Quentin and other towns. Saint-Gobain is known for its production of mirrors, which started in the 17th century. Guise is the agricultural centre of the northern area of Aisne.

Culture

During World War I a number of significant architectural monuments were destroyed. Of the buildings that survived, the medieval churches in Laon, Braine , and Urcel are the most significant. The ruined castle of La Ferté-Milon escaped further damage during the war.

External links

• Prefecture website (in French)
• Conseil Général website (in French)
• http://www.sudaisne.com/Departement/aisne.html (in French)